Mister Cooper's Blog & Website

Now that December is upon us and the holiday shopping season is in full swing, I am becoming overwhelmed with all that is going on. I’ll admit to feeling the stress of juggling schedules, traffic, crowds, and long lists of things to do and buy. And don’t get me started with the commercials on television. Each year seems to get a little crazier. This post was going to be about stuffing your stocking with a Mister Cooper CD. If you’re interested, there is plenty of information here on this website. But, I’m going to stop before I start. What I really want to say is that I hope you all feel the abundance of peace, love, and joy surrounding you during this wonder-filled time of year. Thank you again for your continued support of my music. I really appreciate it.

Here is a Christmas card for you and the kids. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Festivus (for the rest of us). The End.

Click to open your card

I make no bones about it. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of all. Better than Christmas, birthdays, Halloween, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day. It’s the one time I am especially grateful for all of the blessings in my life. And my list is long.

Thanksgiving is a special day to appreciate life with the extra bonus of fantastic food. I truly enjoy turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and all kinds of side dishes using family recipes passed down through the generations. And then there’s the pumpkin pie with (not too much) whipped cream. Ummm. Pumpkin pie.

Once again, my family and I have been invited to spend the holiday with friends I’ve known for 30 years. Before dinner, we go around the room and say out loud what we are thankful for. It’s a beautiful moment that I look forward to every year. Good friends, good food, football, music, lots of laughter, it’s all there on Thanksgiving Day.

When it gets to be my turn to speak, I never forget to mention how thankful I am for all of the music in my life and for all of the people, both young and grown up, who sing along. Be it at school, at a library, in the park, at a Farmers Market, or a concert somewhere, I thank you all for coming out and saying hello. Thank you for supporting my music all year long. May you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. And an extra piece of pumpkin pie for me…

Thanks (that’s one)
Thanks (that’s two)
Thanks (that’s three)
Thanks (that’s four)
Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks
Thanksgiving

Over the years, I have printed out, collated, stapled, and given out thousands of coloring books for the song “Words To Live By” from my 1st CD “Mister Cooper.” It is now my pleasure to make the pdf file available for you to create your own copy of the coloring book. Color it however you wish. Use all 7 colors in a rainbow. Or just your favorite color (mine is purple). Make as many as you’d like. It’s now up to you. Take your time and do a good job. When you’re finished, please bring it to library music time so I can see it.

Look up at the row of pages and click on the one labeled “The Coloring Book.” There you will find the file and story about how the coloring book came to be. Please enjoy.

Once again, it’s time for another library update. Now that fall has fallen and winter is near, it’s getting too cold to come and see me sing songs for you in the chilly open air. Libraries are the perfect place to be for indoor adventures of all kinds, including music with The Sing-Along Club. Here is the current schedule for all the libraries I visit. I hope you can be there. It wouldn’t be the same without you…

Belle Cooledge Library:
We meet on Tuesdays from 4:00 – 4:00 pm.
November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
December 6, 13, 20
January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
February 7, 14

Valley Hi Library:
We meet on Thursdays from 4:00 – 4:30 pm.
November 3, 10, 17
December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
January 5

Fair Oaks Library:
We meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 11:30 am – noon.
November 8
December 13
January 10
February 14

Pocket-Greenhaven Library:
We meet on the last Tuesday of each month from 11:30 am – noon. Please note time change for 2012.
November 29 (11:30 – noon)
December – no music
January 31 (11:00 – 11:30 am)
February 28 (11:00 – 11:30 am)

A great big THANKS to all of the libraries for bringing The Sing-Along Club with Mister Cooper inside their doors where it’s nice and warm. I appreciate the continued support. And, oh yeah, I almost forgot. Happy Halloween! Please remember to BE SAFE. I’m not kidding. The End.

The Loose Acoustic Trio plays family friendly “good time music” all summer long at Farmers Markets, parties, barbeques, and other outdoor events throughout the Sacramento area. The 2011 season is almost over. But there are still a few opportunities for you to see us and hear the songs before we say “so long” for the winter. This coming Saturday, October 22, we’ll be performing at the Sunrise Farmers Market at the Light Rail station on the corner of Sunrise and Folsom Blvds. The next Saturday, October 29, we end the season at the Country Club Plaza Farmers Market, close to the corner of Watt and El Camino Blvds. And then we finish up that same night at Ettore’s Restaurant on Fair Oaks Blvd starting at 7:30 pm. I hope you can make it. If not, we’ll try it again in June 2012.

I was thrilled when I read the email telling me I had received a Fall 2011 Parents’ Choice Approved Award for my CD “Mister Cooper is for the birds.” I clicked on the link and here are the kind words I found:

“Acoustic musician and music educator Ken Cooper has an inviting, down-home way with a song, finding inspiration in the interconnectedness of living things, confidence-building (“Yes I Can”) and the joy of reading (“Dr. Seuss Is On the Loose”). Among the highlights: Cooper’s humorous spin on the definition of living spaces (“a peach is a house for a peach pit/a sandwich is a house for ham” in “A House is a House for Me”) and a tribute to that ubiquitous pause-filler, “Um.”"
Lynne Heffley © 2011 Parents’ Choice

Here is a little more information about the Parents’ Choice Approved Award:

The Parents’ Choice Approved Awards are given on the basis of the production, entertainment and human values they exemplify. It indicates a wholesome product that helps children enjoy developing physical, emotional, social or academic skills.

And here is a little something about the Parents’ Choice Foundation:

Parents’ Choice Foundation is the nation’s first and most respected nonprofit guide to quality children’s media and toys. An independent testing and information organization since 1978, Parents’ Choice is dedicated to providing trusted recommendations for books, toys, music, video games, digital media and more. Learn more at www.parents-choice.org.

Thanks again to the Parents’ Choice Foundation, Lynne Heffley, and everyone associated with this fine honor. Now, does that make me “Award Winning Children’s Recording Artist and Entertainer Mister Cooper”? I guess…

Everywhere I go, everyone I know asks me about Matilda. She sent along this picture with a nice note from the circus. She’s doing well and wanted me to say hi to all her friends. Ooh ooh. Ahh ahh.

Yes, the Belle Cooledge Library Sing-Along Club is cancelled this week. But you can still come and see me for some musical fun and frolic. On Tuesday, September 27, from 11:30 am until noon, I’ll be singing songs at the Pocket-Greenhaven Library. It’s going to be a big time and you can be there and square. Join me, won’t you?

Belle Cooledge Library is my neighborhood library. It’s the place where I started the after-school Sing-Along Club program. That was three years ago and I’ve been there every week since then. I look forward to my time there on Tuesday afternoons (4:00 – 4:30 pm) and thank you all for coming to see me each week. Thank you for telling your friends and neighbors. It’s been great.

This coming Tuesday, September 27, we will NOT be meeting at our usual time and place. The library is being painted and that includes the community room. So, we all have the week off. But, we WILL be getting together on Tuesday, October 4, for more singing, dancing, and fun. Please don’t forget to remember to mark your calendar. I’ll miss you. See you in October…

Remember all the rain we had the last time we tried this? Well, it’s going to be different this time. My weather man said it’s going to be 92 degrees and sunny tomorrow. Here’s all you need to know about Summer Splash, directly from the Sacramento Sidetracks website. Thanks, Keilah for posting this. I couldn’t have said it better myself…

Have some family fun and support the kids of Sutterville Elementary School this Sunday, September 18, at Summer Splash! From 1 pm – 5 pm at the Natomas Raquet Club, there will be tons of activities to celebrate the end of Summer! Enjoy swimming (heated pool!), water games, music, entertainment, food, arts and crafts, an obstacle course, prizes, a raffle, and more!

I will be there to sing some songs with all my friends starting at 3:15 pm for 30 minutes or so. Please join in with the fun. I’ll even let you pick the songs you want to hear. Deal? Deal.

This fun-filled event is geared towards children in grades K-6. Admission is $10.00 at the door. It includes participation in ALL activities and events. Kids under 3 get in free!

Labor Day weekend is here and that means one thing. School is back in session for another go ’round. This will be my 16th big year of singing with the Kindergartners at Sutterville Elementary School. That’s a scary statement to make, but also true. This year, I will be singing with a grand total of 5 elementary schools on a regular basis: Sutterville, Bret Harte, Hollywood Park, Camellia Basic, and Crocker-Riverside. Also with 2 preschools, Sutterville Pre-K and Tiny Tot Time. And let’s not forget the libraries: Belle Cooledge, Valley Hi, Pocket-Greenhaven, and Fair Oaks.

Mister Cooper is a busy guy. But, I’ll also say this from the bottom of my heart. It is an honor and a pleasure to be bringing music to some of the youngest members of the Sacramento community. And please don’t get me started talking about the cutbacks in education as this new school year begins. Class sizes have increased and good teachers are out of a job. That’s why I am extremely grateful for all of the invitations I have received to come and sing my “songs that teach” with your kids. I’ll see you all very soon. Stay cool.

P.S. – The This World CD has been updated with the 2 “new and improved” songs included. You may now buy from all sites with confidence. Thanks for your patience and support.